The Wild Coast of South
Africa
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"Flying along the wild Pondoland coast, and
then over its heavily forested gorges while going inland to
assess landscape features and local settlements, I had a
visceral experience of an area unique to South Africa. The
Wild Coast bio-diversity, its wildlife and its human culture
have co-evolved into a mosaic of singular importance to the
world, the strength of which lies in the lively yet delicate
intersection of each natural and human component.
Non-sustainable developmental interventions will do nothing
except destroy this fragile web - to the detriment of all
the parts, human and natural. Once the treasure is lost, it
cannot be recovered."
 Vance
Martin, President, The WILD Foundation, on a mission with The
Bateleurs: Flying for Conservation in Africa (Photo
left)
One of the most spectacular, understudied, high-biodiversity
landscapes in Africa is under threat from mining. The Wild
Coast, or Pondoland (so named after the local people) in the
Eastern Cape Province, contains not only a high percentage
of rare and endemic plants (recognized as a world
bio-diversity hotspot) and a landscape of awesome beauty, it
also supports a traditional rural culture of native people
that have lived there sustainably for many centuries.
 WILD recognizes the essential role played by mining and
other important developments of natural resources. We also
insist that such activities be done in the right place, and
in an environmentally and a culturally sustainable manner.
WILD stands with our sister organization the Wilderness
Foundation (SA) and other prominent NGOs in the Sustaining
the Wild Coast (SWC) initiative, and with local communities
in the affected area, to ask that the South Africa
government not allow mining in this area.
To add your
voice to this campaign, join WILD and SWC >>>
SWC report from July 2007, by Val Payn
 The
Pondoland Centre of Endemism, though
extremely small in geographic terms, is extremely
wealthy in environmental terms. It extends from the
Mtumvuna River at Port Edward, to the Kei River.
Much of its environmental wealth is also highly
‘site specific’ i.e. the particular set of
geographic circumstances of the region has resulted
in high numbers of endemic species, generally
contained in very small populations, making it
ecology extremely sensitive to disruption. Although
no extensive and comprehensive study has ever been
done on the natural assets of the PCE, an area of
1880 square kilometers, a recent study of the flora
of 4 sites in the area, namely
Mkambati, Oribi Gorge, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve and
Port St Johns revealed 2 253 species of
which 196 where endemic. Of the endemics
only 16 occur in all four of the above mentioned
sites, indicating that each of the investigate sites
contains its own specific endemics. The region has
been very poorly scientifically surveyed, and new
plant species continue to be discovered.
For purposes of comparison, the Kruger National Park
only contains 1 400 species as does the whole of the
United Kingdom.
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